Supporting Gender Identity and Affirmation Procedure

1. The purpose of our procedure

This procedure sets out how staff and students can seek support and have their affirmed gender identity respected, recognised and embedded across Adelaide University systems and practices.

Please read this procedure in conjunction with our Equity and Inclusion Policy.

2. Who our procedure applies to

This procedure applies to Adelaide University staff and students who seek support during a gender affirmation process.

3. Our supporting gender identity and affirmation procedure

Adelaide University values diversity and supports transgender, gender diverse and nonbinary individuals. We recognise that gender identity may change over time and offer support for social, medical, or legal affirmation.

3.1 Requesting support

Staff and students undergoing gender affirmation processes may, at their discretion, inform Adelaide University and access available support services. Such details will be handled sensitively and in line with our Privacy Policy.

• Staff members can contact their line manager or the [Workplace Wellbeing] team for support, which may include leave options in line with the enterprise agreement of the relevant foundation university.
• Students can request special consideration or an extension if their gender affirmation process impacts their ability to complete an assessment by contacting the relevant academic or [student support services].

Requests for support are based on self-identification. Supporting evidence may only be required when linked to specific entitlements and may include one or more of the following:

• a medical certificate from a treating practitioner
• a letter from a legal practitioner
• documentation from a university counsellor
• a statutory declaration (where medical or legal steps are not involved).
  

3.2 Changing personal details

Staff or students undertaking a gender and identity affirmation process – whether medical, legal, or social – may choose to formally update their personal details in Adelaide University systems, such as:

• preferred name
• preferred title (e.g. Mr, Ms, Mx)
• pronouns
• gender expression

to align with their affirmed gender.  

To update personal details:

• Staff can use the [SSO website], [Staff Profile website] and/or [Outlook email signature].
• Students can update their personal details via the [MyUni website].

Adelaide University will use a person’s affirmed name internally but may need to use a legal name externally, for example, when contacting government agencies such as the Australian Taxation Office or Centrelink.

3.3 Our approach to supporting a gender-diverse culture

Staff and students are encouraged to engage with Adelaide University’s Ally Network for training, resources, and strategies to become effective allies for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Adelaide University community members should endeavour to use a person’s preferred name and pronouns. Intentional deadnaming or misgendering may constitute misconduct, harassment or discrimination and such behaviour should be reported as per the enterprise agreement of the relevant foundation university and associated procedures.

4. Who holds a responsibility within this procedure

This procedure does not assign or confer decision-making authority. Refer to the Delegation Policy for all delegations of authority at Adelaide University.

4.1 The line manager is responsible for:

• supporting a staff member undergoing a gender identity and affirmation process.

4.2 Staff members or students seeking support from Adelaide University during a gender and identity affirmation process are responsible for:

• discussing their support options and preferences with their line manager, supervisor, [Workplace Wellbeing] team or [Student support services] team.

5. Definitions used in our procedure

Please refer to our Adelaide University glossary for a full list of our definitions.

Assessment is a process where a student demonstrates their attainment of learning outcomes, through the completion of graded or non-graded activities.

Preferred name refers to a name that a person uses for themselves which may be different to their legal given name.  

Deadnaming is when a person intentionally or unintentionally uses a person’s former name, which may or may not be their legal name. Intentional deadnaming may constitute misconduct.

Gender refers to the socially-constructed characteristics associated with being a female, male, both or neither. This includes norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. Gender is distinct from biological sex and can be different from what was assigned at birth.  

Gender affirmation refers to the process of actualising a person’s gender identity and expression for themselves, others and society. As everyone’s need for social, medical or legal aspects will differ, every gender affirmation pathway is unique.

Gender expression refers to how a person communicates their gender within a given cultural context, which may include clothing, speech, mannerisms, and personal preferences.

LGBTQIA+ refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse, intersex, queer and questioning, asexual and aromantic plus other related identities.

Non-binary refers to a gender identity beyond normative binary assignments of ‘woman’ and ‘man’.

Pronouns are the way people refer to each other or themselves, when not using their name such as they/them, she/her, he/him, ze/zir.  

A student is a person enrolled in an Enabling Program, award or non-award coursework study, a research program, or a short course or microcredential at Adelaide University.

Transgender refers to people whose gender identity is different from their assigned gender; transgender people may identify as women, men, non-binary, or any other gender diverse term.

6. How our procedure is governed

This procedure is categorised, approved and owned in line with the governance structure of Adelaide University and the offices and officers listed below.

7. Legislation and other documents related to our procedure

This procedure does not assign or confer decision-making authority. Refer to the Delegation Policy for all delegations of authority at Adelaide University.

8. History of changes

At the time of writing, Adelaide University’s organisational structure, position titles, and committee names have not been confirmed. Square brackets [ ] indicate placeholders for these details. Brackets are also used to identify policy elements that are subject to further decision-making or confirmation. These will be updated once final decisions are made.